More than 22 hours of original digital programming and social media use will cover three days' worth of Grammy-related events such as performances, the red carpet and backstage reactions.

"Not only are we curating the conversations among fans, we're also trying to feed that conversation," said Jeff Grossman, CBS Interactive's vice president of content and product strategy.

One key element of the Grammy Live digital coverage is the Gig of a Lifetime contest, which gives musicians the chance to perform during the high-profile music celebration. The contest, conducted Dec. 5 through Jan. 10, attracted some

1.5 million social media votes.

The winner, Within Reason, survived two rounds of voting, which led the group to the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles to perform a live show in the 200-seat Clive Davis Theater.

During a sound check Wednesday night, the four band members talked about the long journey from the group's formation in Tuscaloosa eight years ago to this new prominent national stage. They made their initial appearance in a bar called the Copper Top, had a song featured on the CW show "One Tree Hill" and toured with the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival.

"This is a huge step forward," drummer Griffin Zarbough said of the Grammy Live spotlight. "This means everything."